By Laura Strother
Fans fill the Whistler event village and lower course area during the World Cup downhill finals — Jason Strother / JTS Media
Valentina Höll won the Elite Women downhill final at the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Cup in Whistler, British Columbia, on Sunday, September 27, clocking 3:06.717 on the technical 1199 course. Canada’s Gracey Hemstreet finished second at 3:07.202, just 0.485 seconds behind, while Sacha Earnest completed the podium in 3:09.586.
The result was the official final classification, not qualifying, for Whistler’s long-awaited debut on the UCI Downhill World Cup calendar. All 15 women who started the 1.850-kilometer race finished. Official ChronoRace/UCI timing listed an average speed of 35.669 km/h in mostly sunny conditions at 22°C.
Höll’s victory earned 200 World Cup points for Commencal Schwalbe by Les Orres. Hemstreet claimed 160 points for Norco x Adidas Race Division, while Earnest collected 140 for Trek–Unbroken DH.
- 1. Valentina Höll (AUT), Commencal Schwalbe by Les Orres, 3:06.717
- 2. Gracey Hemstreet (CAN), Norco x Adidas Race Division, 3:07.202, +0.485
- 3. Sacha Earnest (NZL), Trek–Unbroken DH, 3:09.586, +2.869
Höll’s Winning Run
Höll asserted control across the full 1199 track, leading every listed intermediate split before delivering the fastest run of the day. Her final time of 3:06.717 established the benchmark that the remaining riders could not overcome.
The Austrian’s winning margin over Hemstreet measured less than half a second, but the result was built on consistent pace from the opening sections through the finish. Höll’s ability to maintain the lead at each recorded split proved decisive on a course where technical precision and speed had to remain balanced throughout the 1.850-kilometer descent.
The 1199 track provided the setting for Whistler’s first UCI Downhill World Cup final. Its technical character placed a premium on line choice, braking control and momentum management, and Höll converted that demand into the first Elite Women victory in the venue’s World Cup history.
Her 3:06.717 also separated her from the field by 2.869 seconds over third-place Earnest. That gap underscored the strength of Höll’s run while the narrow difference to Hemstreet kept the race competitive until the final classification was confirmed.
The result followed Höll’s fifth-place qualifying performance from Saturday, but the qualifying order did not carry over into Sunday’s final times. The official result was determined by one decisive final run.
Valentina Höll (#1) races through the Whistler forest — Jason Strother / JTS Media
Hemstreet’s Canadian Podium
Hemstreet delivered one of the event’s most significant results by finishing second at Whistler’s World Cup debut. The Canadian rider stopped the clock at 3:07.202, finishing 0.485 seconds behind Höll and 2.384 seconds ahead of Earnest.
The result represented a major Canadian performance at a home-country venue, while remaining distinct from a home victory. Hemstreet did not take the win, but her second-place finish secured the highest Canadian position in the inaugural Whistler Elite Women downhill final.
Hemstreet’s run also held off a tightly packed group behind the leaders. The margin from second to fourth place measured 2.983 seconds, giving her a clear hold on the runner-up position. Her 160 points placed a substantial result on the World Cup standings ledger as the series moved through the late-season schedule.
Saturday’s qualifying had already identified Hemstreet as one of the leading contenders. She placed third in the first qualifying session, but Sunday’s final times reset the competitive order. Her 3:07.202 confirmed that the Canadian rider could translate qualifying pace into a podium result when the official points were at stake.
Gracey Hemstreet (#17) rides into the Whistler crowd — Jason Strother / JTS Media
The Fight Behind the Leaders
Earnest secured third with a 3:09.586 run, finishing 2.869 seconds behind Höll. The New Zealander’s podium performance held off a close battle for the remaining top-five positions.
Sacha Earnest (#5) attacks a rooty section — Jason Strother / JTS Media
Anna Newkirk placed fourth for the United States in 3:10.185, 3.468 seconds behind the winner. Jenna Hastings followed only 0.058 seconds later at 3:10.243. The two riders were separated by less than one-tenth of a second after the full 1199 descent.
Anna Newkirk (#14) navigates the 1199 course — Jason Strother / JTS Media
Valentina Roa Sanchez placed sixth in 3:10.560, only 0.317 seconds behind Hastings. Jess Blewitt finished seventh at 3:11.892, and Kate Hastings took eighth in 3:11.992. The 0.100-second gap between the two New Zealand riders illustrated the compressed racing throughout the middle of the final field.
Harriet Harnden finished ninth at 3:12.917, while Gloria Scarsi completed the top 10 in 3:13.233. Scarsi’s final time placed her 6.516 seconds behind Höll.
Harriet Harnden(#9) works through a muddy rut — Jason Strother / JTS Media
Beyond the top 10, Marine Cabirou finished 11th in 3:15.444, followed by Nina Hoffmann in 3:19.497. Lisa Baumann placed 13th at 3:27.644, Eliana Hulsebosch finished 14th in 3:30.361, and Phoebe Gale completed the field at 3:39.049.
Lisa Bouladou (#8) rides through the Whistler forest — Jason Strother / JTS Media
With all 15 starters classified, the final produced a complete results sheet without a non-finisher listed.
Top 10 and Full Elite Women Results
The official ChronoRace/UCI timing sheet recorded the following final classification:
| Position | Rider | Nation | Team | Time | Gap | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Valentina Höll | AUT | Commencal Schwalbe by Les Orres | 3:06.717 | – | 200 |
| 2 | Gracey Hemstreet | CAN | Norco x Adidas Race Division | 3:07.202 | +0.485 | 160 |
| 3 | Sacha Earnest | NZL | Trek–Unbroken DH | 3:09.586 | +2.869 | 140 |
| 4 | Anna Newkirk | USA | – | 3:10.185 | +3.468 | – |
| 5 | Jenna Hastings | NZL | – | 3:10.243 | +3.526 | – |
| 6 | Valentina Roa Sanchez | COL | – | 3:10.560 | +3.843 | – |
| 7 | Jess Blewitt | NZL | – | 3:11.892 | +5.175 | – |
| 8 | Kate Hastings | NZL | – | 3:11.992 | +5.275 | – |
| 9 | Harriet Harnden | GBR | – | 3:12.917 | +6.200 | – |
| 10 | Gloria Scarsi | ITA | – | 3:13.233 | +6.516 | – |
Remaining Final Field
- 11. Marine Cabirou (FRA), 3:15.444, +8.727
- 12. Nina Hoffmann (GER), 3:19.497, +12.780
- 13. Lisa Baumann (SUI), 3:27.644, +20.927
- 14. Eliana Hulsebosch (NZL), 3:30.361, +23.644
- 15. Phoebe Gale (GBR), 3:39.049, +32.332
Whistler Crowd Brings the 1199 Course to Life
Fans fill the Whistler event village and lower course area during the World Cup downhill finals — Jason Strother / JTS Media
Whistler’s event village and lower course area delivered one of the day’s most vivid scenes, with fans packed along key viewing zones beneath the mountain-bike park and gondola lines. Canadian support remained clearly visible throughout the venue, and the atmosphere around the 1199 course added another layer of energy to the inaugural World Cup downhill final as spectators turned the finish-area approach into a loud, charged backdrop for the closing runs.
What the Result Means for the Season
Höll’s 200-point victory establishes her as the first Elite Women downhill winner at Whistler’s World Cup venue and adds another major result to her 2026 campaign. The victory also confirms the difference between Saturday’s qualifying order and the official Sunday outcome: qualifying determined the final field, while Höll’s 3:06.717 determined the points-paying result.
Hemstreet’s 160-point second place carries particular weight in the season context. The Canadian rider converted the advantage of competing at a familiar national venue into a podium finish, but the result remained a second-place achievement rather than a home win. Earnest’s third-place finish added another New Zealand presence to the podium and completed a top three separated by 2.869 seconds.
The final also highlighted the depth of the Elite Women field. Newkirk and Jenna Hastings finished within 0.058 seconds of one another, Roa Sanchez remained within four seconds of the winning time, and the complete 15-rider classification reflected the demanding but decisive nature of the 1199 course.
Results were taken from the official WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series Whistler results page, with the race-day account and event context cross-checked against Pinkbike coverage. The official Whistler event page provides additional schedule and venue information, while JTS Media will continue its mountain biking coverage from major international competitions.
Whistler’s inaugural World Cup downhill final now enters the record as Höll’s victory, Hemstreet’s Canadian podium and Earnest’s third-place breakthrough. The result provides a firm competitive reference point for the remainder of the 2026 season and establishes the 1199 track as a decisive new venue on the UCI downhill calendar.
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